Gianni Infantino is not a man for backtracking.
In an exclusive interview with me, the FIFA president doubled down on the “peace prize” he awarded to Donald Trump, rejected calls to boycott the World Cup in the United States, apologised for a joke he made about the arrest record of English fans in major tournaments – and insisted he didn’t regret his speech ahead of the Qatar World Cup declaring “today I feel…”
Over the course of an hour, I asked Gianni Infantino about the nature of his relationship with Donald Trump and the decision to award the US President a peace prize.
He acknowledged that there had been a “strong reaction” but defended the move, stating that it was consistent with his belief that football – and FIFA – should acknowledge anyone who was trying to bring an end to conflicts around the world.
He didn’t shy away from responding to my questions on whether more should have been done to protect footballers in Gaza and Iran.
I also put to him concerns that the capture of Nicholas Maduro from Venezuela, and growing tensions with Iran, had raised concerns globally.
“I’m very fortunate to have… an excellent, a great relationship with President Trump.
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“Objectively, he deserves that prize. He was instrumental in resolving conflicts and saving lives and saving thousands of lives.
“To me, there is nothing more important than… stopping killing and stopping this kind of suffering.”
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He also made a prediction about another peace prize. “I think he will get it” referring to the Nobel Prize.
When I asked him about calls to ban or boycott the World Cup in the US – driven by safety concerns and the Trump Administration’s immigration policy – Infantino was blunt.
“I’m against bans, I’m against boycotts as well. I think they don’t bring anything… they just contribute to… more hatred.”
He pivoted to a pointed comparison – the UK’s extensive trade with the US. “Is anyone proposing that the UK should be stopping doing commerce with the US? I didn’t hear that. So why football? Why football?
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He was equally blunt on Russia. When I asked whether FIFA should lift its ban, Infantino was clear in his response.
“Oh, definitely. We have to. Yes… at least at youth level. This ban has not achieved anything,” he said.
“It has just created more frustration, and hatred.”
But whilst Infantino was defiant on global politics, he struck a softer tone when it came to English fans.
At Davos last week, he had made a joke about the arrest of England supporters – comments that landed badly here in the UK.
In our interview, he apologised. “It was meant to be more of a light heartened remark, to show that the World Cup in Qatar was a celebration, it was a peaceful event.”
It was at the Qatar World Cup where he made a notorious speech which many still view as the defining controversy of his presidency.
I described it as “infamous” and Infantino immediately interrupted.
“It was not infamous”, he said, “it was famous”. And he had no regrets. In his mind, the speech had achieved its purpose – it was heard, discussed, and remembered.
Whatever you might think of Infantino, he remains consistent. He believes football should sit above politics, even as he engages in it.
He apologises when jokes misfire, but not when principles are challenged.
And when critics label his legacy controversial, he shrugs – because controversy, is still a form of power.
